Her God
“All right.”
Huai Jing did not press.
That was how their friendship worked.
If Liu Qianxiu had something he could tell them, he would.
If he did not say it, then they did not need to know yet.
Liu Qianxiu showered in the gym locker room and changed before driving back to Nanfeng Apartments.
Mu Wan’s message had said she was already on her way.
She should be arriving around now.
After parking in the underground garage, Liu Qianxiu slung his sports bag over one shoulder, held the basketball in one hand, and scanned his elevator card.
The elevator rose from the basement.
At the first floor, it stopped.
The doors opened.
Mu Wan was standing outside.
She had been watching an advertisement on the multimedia screen beside the elevator.
At the sound of the doors, she looked over.
The moment she saw Liu Qianxiu, her eyes curved.
Today he was dressed more casually than usual.
A white T-shirt.
Black shorts.
Simple.
Athletic.
Yet there was still something refined about him.
He was tall and naturally pale.
Even the simplest sportswear looked as though it belonged on a runway.
A black sports bag hung from his left shoulder.
In his right hand was a basketball.
His palm was large enough to hold it one-handed.
His fingers curved around the ball, long and cleanly jointed.
Mu Wan had never understood why so many girls in high school had been obsessed with boys who played basketball.
Now she understood.
Once you liked someone, everything he did somehow looked good enough to make your heart move.
“Is that your basketball?”
Her gaze immediately dropped to it.
“Mm.”
“Can I try?”
Mu Wan looked at the light-brown ball.
“I’ve never played basketball before.”
It was only five.
There was no hurry to eat.
The rain from that morning had already stopped, and the air outside remained cool.
It was good weather for playing.
Mu Wan looked at Liu Qianxiu.
A small plea appeared in her eyes.
The elevator doors had been open too long and began to close.
The moment they moved, Liu Qianxiu reached out and stopped them with one hand.
Then he stepped out.
“Let’s go.”
Mu Wan smiled.
Behind him, she gave one tiny, delighted hop.
Then she hurried after him.
Nanfeng Apartments had its own basketball court.
Even the sports facilities in an upscale residential complex were carefully maintained.
The basketball and tennis courts stood beside each other, surrounded by tall metal fencing.
The rain from that morning had not completely evaporated.
The surface was still damp, though no puddles remained.
At this hour, the court was empty.
Mu Wan and Liu Qianxiu entered one after the other.
Mu Wan immediately walked beneath the basket and looked up at the hoop high above her.
She stretched one arm upward.
Her pale fingers still fell far short.
But Mu Wan thought her athletic ability was reasonably good.
She lowered her arm and looked toward Liu Qianxiu, who was standing beyond the three-point line.
“Liu Qianxiu, give me the ball.”
Her soft voice echoed across the damp, empty court.
Liu Qianxiu threw it toward her.
Perfectly aimed.
The ball bounced once and rolled directly to her feet.
Thin clouds covered the sky.
The air was damp and clean.
In the middle of the empty court, Mu Wan picked up the basketball.
She stood beneath the blue basketball frame, raised both hands, aimed at the hoop, and threw.
Bang.
The ball struck the backboard.
Then dropped.
Mu Wan was not discouraged.
She picked it up again.
She aimed, made two small practice motions, then threw once more.
This time, the ball only clipped the edge of the rim.
It traced a shallow arc through the clean air and bounced behind her.
Mu Wan turned.
Her brows drew together.
She was breathing lightly now, lips parted and damply red.
“Liu Qianxiu, I can’t get it in.”
She walked toward the ball.
Her voice remained sweet, like ripe berries.
“Can you?”
The ball rolled to Liu Qianxiu’s feet.
He stood beyond the white line.
He looked at her once.
Then bent slightly and picked up the basketball with one hand.
His knuckles whitened faintly around it.
Mu Wan stood at center court.
She looked at the distance between him and the basket.
“You’re so far away.”
Her tone was doubtful.
“Can you really make it from there?”
Liu Qianxiu did not answer.
He settled the basketball into his right hand.
His wrist bent slightly backward.
In the damp air, his dark eyes looked like two clear springs whose depths could not be seen.
Then his wrist moved.
The ball left his hand.
It sailed over Mu Wan’s head.
A second later, she turned.
Bang.
The basketball dropped cleanly through the hoop.
As easily as Liu Qianxiu had entered her heart.
The ball hit the ground and rebounded.
Bang.
Bang.
The sound echoed through the empty court.
Mu Wan’s gaze followed the light-brown ball until it rolled to a stop beside the backboard.
Silence settled again.
After staring at it for several seconds, Mu Wan turned toward Liu Qianxiu.
Beneath the dark clouds, he stood tall and long-legged.
His gaze was clear.
His presence quiet and detached.
“Liu Qianxiu…”
Mu Wan tilted her head.
Starlight seemed to gather in her eyes.
“Are you my god?”
She smiled.
“You seem able to do everything I can’t.”
The sky stretched high above them.
Thin clouds drifted.
Wind stirred the leaves.
And somewhere, a heart trembled.
“I want to make one too.”
Mu Wan turned and jogged toward the basketball.
Her pale fingers spread across its surface.
Long.
Fine-boned.
Beautiful.
She picked it up and backed several steps beneath the hoop.
This time, she prepared more carefully.
She adjusted her grip.
Looked upward.
Bent slightly.
Then, just as she was about to throw, a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind.
Mu Wan froze.
A faint scent of mint surrounded her.
Her chin trembled.
Then her body began to rise.
The ground moved farther away.
The hoop in front of her came closer.
Closer still.
Until suddenly it seemed almost within reach.
Liu Qianxiu had lifted her.
“Shoot.”
His voice came quietly from behind her.
Her god had come to help her.
— End of Chapter 20 —
Ah, how sweet lol And he's finally making a move!
ReplyDeleteJust found this today, seems like a really nice story! Hopefully there's not too much drama with the cousin/Mu family.
Thanks for the chapters and stay safe!